A finance worker who launched a year-long stalking campaign against her friend when she ended the friendship and ghosted her has been spared jail.
Louise Heseltine, 48, pestered Sally Bisset with phone calls, texts, emails and turned up at her home unannounced after they fell out while doing the 'Three Peaks Challenge'.
She admitted stalking Ms Bisset between July 2024 and May 2025 last week at Harrogate Magistrates' Court.
Prosecutor Thomas Theakston said: 'Miss Heseltine and Sally Bisset were at one point friends, although not extremely close.
'They agreed to do the Three Peaks Challenge together and it was during this time that Ms Bisset realised that her and Miss Heseltine's views and interests did not align particularly well.
'On completion of the walk Ms Bisset tried to disengage from Miss Heseltine and distance herself by stopping contact, in the hope that she would move on. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.'
Louise Heseltine (pictured) pestered Sally Bisset with calls, emails and texts in a year long stalking campaign when Ms Bisset suddenly ended their friendship
Heseltine, an analyst for a building society, said she struggled to cope with the abrupt end to their friendship immediately after the pair had completed the Three Peaks Challenge together
Heseltine emailed and texted the complainant to try and discuss matters despite Ms Bisset making it clear that this was 'unwanted contact'.
'She wanted nothing further to do with Miss Heseltine,' Mr Theakston told the court.
The prosecutor said Heseltine knew the continued contact was unwanted, writing an email in January 2025 which said: 'I'll risk a restraining order to build a bridge.'
'The Crown says she was aware that her behaviour was unwanted,' he said - adding that Heseltine now accepts her behaviour amounted to stalking following the 'breakdown of a very close relationship'.
She wanted some 'closure', but denied trying to engineer encounters with Ms Bisset.
In a victim personal statement, which Ms Bisset asked to be read to the court, she said: 'I have experienced a fixated and obsessive pattern of behaviour from the defendant and when I have tried to actively distance myself, she has manoeuvred using different methods.
'Whether that be by letter, or cards, unwanted messages and emails.
'I felt completely disrespected and helpless, in that my wishes were being ignored.
'I tried to be clear that "no means no" but I feel the whole situation has been manipulated by her labelling me as a "mean girl".'
Ms Bisset, a tutor and school governor, said she felt 'intense shame' due to the police involvement.
She said she has suffered emotional fatigue as a result of having to be hyper-vigilant.
In mitigation, Heseltine's solicitor Ibrar Hussain said: 'This was a very close friendship, which started in 2022.
'The defendant and complainant started off as acquaintances, which very quickly became a close relationship.
'They would see each other on a regular basis, on evenings they would go to wine bars, go hiking together.
'The complainant was also a tutor at one of the schools where the defendant's child attended.'
Mr Hussain said the complainant acted as a 'mentor' to his client.
'That friendship very quickly came to an end. As far as the defendant was concerned, for no apparent reason,' he said.
'She accepts that she struggled with that.'
He said they used to speak together sometimes five times a day.
She was questioning herself 'why, have I done something wrong?', said Mr Hussain.
Heseltine wanted to 'make things better'.
'But it was a closed door from the other side,' he said.
The court heard Heseltine is a former personal trainer who now enjoys powerlifting.
Heseltine, an amateur weight lifter, turned up at Ms Bisset's gym and even her home as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that the victim no longer wanted to be friends with her
It was alleged she had turned up at the Unity Gym, knowing the complainant was a member there, to stalk her.
It was argued she had not gone for that reason, but instead to make enquiries with a personal trainer she knew there.
Heseltine was fined £1,272 and given a 12 month restraining order. She must not contact Ms Bisset or enter the street where she lives. She must not post anything about her former friend or the court case on social media.
Passing sentence, Chair Susan Baird said: 'We are not awarding compensation because we recognise the parties have now severed the relationship and we believe it would be inappropriate.'